Le Carnaval
by TheiaNeko
Summary: Dancing beneath the lights decorating the streets of Paris, has never felt so vibrant.
This, is for the wonderful piikopoko (( also known as piikoarts on tumblr ))

Tis her birthday today, and I really wanted to write something that incorporated her designs into the story~

I hope you have a wonderful birthday, and that you enjoy this~

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Lights littered the streets of France, hung high and low in preparation for the annual carnival that was about to commence. An annual festival that made the city of Paris scream _beauty_. Ladies dressed in their finest gowns, and men in their favourite outfits. It was a night to be remembered, that many didn't due to the fine alcohol that was served at stalls scattered around the Parisian streets.

Marinette had sworn up and down that her favourite time in Paris was definitely during those nights. Where the music was live and bursting with energy. The people of France dancing like it was their last few nights. Love was shared, found, and seemed to fill the air with it's grace. Yet somehow over the week, she had begun to favour the carnival less and less.

It had started when Hawk Moth arrived at the festivals. He was a man dressed from head to toe in purple and black. His mask shouting elegance and high status. It was rare that one didn't dress up for the occasion, but this man seemed to have gone the extra mile. Swirls of black caressed his lilac mask, and continued down onto his suit, but only on certain parts. Entire patches of darker purple didn't seem to have the black vines grown into them. His purple eyes were what sent shivers down the French-Asian girl's spine.

It only worsened when his eyes didn't seem to leave her dancing form. So freaked out by the way the man hadn't seemed to lose his interest in her, she fled from the dance floor. Bumping into a younger male on the way out, blue and green clashing suddenly and briefly before she rushed away like Cinderella running away from the ball. Except she was much more terrified than the blonde-haired princess. Terror pulsed under her skin with each erratic heartbeat.

She thanked her luck that she had dressed for the carnival in a shorter, and puffier dress than she had originally planned. The pink and blue added a nice touch and reflected the air that sung around the carnival.

Though, her favourite colours hadn't protected her that night. They had attracted someone she felt in her gut to be a dangerous man, and if she had any sense, she wouldn't have gone back the following night.

The green eyes that plagued her mind made it impossible for her to consider not returning.

Marinette was sure that she had seen them somewhere before.

The next night was filled with a louder crowd, many of the participants were still drunk from the previous night. This night however, Marinette stayed to the shadows and only peered out onto the dance floor from behind her mask and under her hood, searching for the man with the green eyes that shone like emeralds behind his golden mask and sun kissed hair. Although she had only met his eyes briefly, she had memorised more than expected.

From across the crowd, Marinette noticed the purple man. His head held high, and eyes sharp. The dark-haired girl wished luck on any girl that caught his gaze tonight as she fought the urge to flee the festival.

But she had a mission to complete, find the man with the golden mask and emerald eyes. As Marinette went to move further into the shadows, she was stopped by the swish of a tail coat and the clicks of shoes on the stoned ground. She looked up to see the eyes she memorised from the night before.

Marinette's mouth opened slightly as she drew in a breath, looking into the man's eyes and making sure to drink in every detail before bidding adieu. It was already risky enough as it was. She had seen Hawk Moth take an eye to many girls in the years before. Each seemingly becoming like a Marionette in his hands while they danced. The thought of feeling as powerless as a doll on strings made Marinette squirm in her skin.

Marinette's gaze was drawn back to the man in front of her, his blonde hair, she noticed, was drawn into a small ponytail. His head adorned with two cat ears. The green in his suit made his eyes gleam, and the intricate golden swirls on his mask drew out the golden flecks that were scattered amongst the emerald green.

The dark-haired girl drew a quick intake of breath when the male leaned down slightly and brought her ungloved hand up to his lips, muttering a soft ' _Mademoiselle'_ before he lay a soft but lingering kiss upon her knuckles.

As he reached up and brought the hood that lay upon her head down to her neck, he spoke again, his voice seemed to be a gift from heaven itself. Angelic and soothing as it reached her ears.

"May I have a dance with the most beautiful girl to grace the festival this year?"

The action alone left her breathless, his next words made her legs feel like jelly, and his actions capture her in whatever web he seemed to be spinning. Swallowing her nerves as she removed the brown cloak, Marinette bowed her head slightly before responding.

"Of course, monsieur."

The next moments had been the most wonderful, and most terrifying experience of Marinette's life. She had accepted her fate in the web he was spinning. One beautiful enough to capture her heart slightly. _Only_ slightly. The song playing seemed to accompany his magic completely.

The duo dancing in time to the rhythm, each step a melody accompanying the way the music that flowed across the dance floor.

Marinette found herself becoming lost in the deep emerald of the man's eyes, never moving her gaze away unless he spun her around, making her dress sweep the air around her, or he dipped her so close to the ground she could feel her pigtails sift through the dirt that had accumulated upon the Parisian ground.

It was also then, she found herself becoming almost like a Marionette. A figure that danced so swiftly, and so gracefully that it was almost impossible to be dancing without any help. The feeling of losing control of herself scared her entire being.

Her horror must have been obvious even behind the mask, because her cat-like partner, slowed down the pace of their dance enough for the polka-dotted girl to regain her bearings. He then pulled her nearer to him, putting his lips so close to her ear that when he spoke his breath spent shivers down her spine, shivers that were much kinder to her than the one she gained from the purple man's sharp gaze falling upon her back.

"Mademoiselle, please dance with me a while longer. I was hoping this would defer Hawk Moth's gaze from your beauty." Marinette's face flushed at the reasoning behind his gesture. She nodded silently and once again delved into dancing with the graceful feline.

She wouldn't lie about it, the man had some amazing dancing skills, and the way he lead made it feel like Marinette was floating upon the ground. She had never felt so free, and so separated from control in her life.

After the dancing had finished and Hawk Moth's purple eyes no longer lingered on the dark-haired girl's form, Marinette left the dance floor on shaky legs, leaning on the black cat for support.

"I'm grateful for what you did tonight, Monsieur?"

"You can call me Chat Noir, Mademoiselle." He said, placing another kiss against her knuckles. The chill in the night air was just right for cooling off her burning skin.

After Chat Noir had taken off his cloak, his white shirt had gleamed against the dull shine of the moon, and reflected the soft lights that adorned the streets of Paris leading up to the festival grounds.

"Will you be gracing the festival with your presence tomorrow night, Monsieur Noir?" Her question caught him unawares, causing a slight pause in his step that was easily recovered from.

He cast her a kind smile before responding, "I will be there for the entire festival, making sure no Madame, or Mademoiselle like yourself falls victim to Hawk Moth. As for the Messieurs, I will make sure none of them are roped in by his bribery."

At his words, Marinette stopped, prompting Chat Noir to stop beside her. "And what of you, Mademoiselle, will you be gracing the floor of Paris' favourite festival again this year?"

Another blush creeped up into the dark-haired girl's face, causing Marinette to tear her gaze away from the green eyes that seemed to have been the cause of her longing once again to dance upon the stage of the carnival. Even if it was only for another few days.

"I guess I'll see you on the dance floor, Monsieur Noir." She finally gave, looking up into his eyes once again. Once she had found his gaze, she noticed the warm smile that lifted his eyes.

"If we are to work together, what am I to call you then, Mademoiselle?

Marinette shifted slightly, wringing her hands together before remembering the spots on her legs, and the reason behind the spots.

"You may call me, Ladybug."

The twinkle in his eyes was beyond comparable to anything that appeared on earth. She could only compare it to the stars that glistened in the night sky.

"Very well, my Lady. May our nights together be filled with greatness."

"I hope so too, kitty."

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((Her designs))

post/135193268931/full-size-i-drew-a-thing-based-off-my-own

post/126482075106/some-miraculous-ladybug-fanart-i-was-listening-to


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